Sway Control

[Rmannon48]

Jeez, my Equal-I-Zer sway control bars moan and groan like a wounded elephant. Will Sway Bracket Jackets help or do I just need to learn to live with it?

[valhalla360]

When are you hearing it?

If making tight turns at low speed, that's pretty normal for any of the L-bracket style WDHs. Mildly annoying but harmless. 

If you are hearing it constantly going down the road, you likely have a weight distribution problem and the hitch is trying to compensate...best solution is to fix the weight distribution problem. Take it to a CAT scale and check the hitch weight. Should be in the 12-15% range.

Greasing or doing anything else that reduces the friction on the L-brackets is basically disabling the sway control aspect of the hitch (where the bars pivot on the hitch head is a different matter but it would be odd for that joint to make much noise).

[aftermath]

I have been towing with my Equalizer since around 2005 and I don't have much, if any, groaning.  I follow the Equalizer suggestion to grease the square moveable brackets where the bars insert into the heads.  Just a little bit and while it is counterintuitive, it works.  I think the fact that my Equalizer is getting old and broken in also helps.  I have over 65K miles of towing with my current set up and sway isn't a concern.  The brackets they sell would be worth a try if you are still concerned.  The company designed this hitch, the company suggest some light grease on the head and the company designed and sells the plastic covers for the L brackets.  I doubt that following the companies suggestions will put you at risk. 

[opnspaces · Accepted solution]

I've read that they do help thought I've never tried them because they lower the friction and therefore the sway reduction. But then I tend to err on the side of caution. What I did that surprisingly quieted my Equal-i-zer was I took the head apart and cleaned and greased everything. By that I mean take off the two bolts that that hold hte square pivot tubes to the head. Clean all the grease off the head and off the tubes. Be careful with the friction parts on the head itself, there will probably be some metal burrs that can cut your finger. Re-grease everything copiously with some wheel bearing grease. there should be a sticker on teh head that tells you the torque for the bolts. But I believe it is 45-60 foot pounds.